Highland baseball equipment among suspected stolen items found at Vanderburgh County home

Included Highland Baseball equipment

EVANSVILLE - Vanderburgh County Sheriff's deputies have recovered more than $10,000 worth of tools and baseball equipment and charged a Vanderburgh County man with burglary and theft in connection.

Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office deputies, with detectives from the Evansville Police Department and Warrick County Sheriff's Office, executed a search warrant Tuesday at the home of Steven J. Vile, 43, in the 100 block of Ladonna Boulevard as part of an investigation into thefts at Mulzer Crushed Stone and United Materials.

At Vile's home, investigators found tools and construction equipment worth $10,000 reported stolen from those burglaries, according to the sheriff's office.

Police also found other items reportedly taken from Mulzer Crushed Stone facilities in Warrick County, as well as baseball equipment from Highland Baseball fields.

Highland Baseball President Matt Pokorney commended law enforcement for the recovery of the group's $15,000 worth of stolen baseball equipment.

"Just the fact they were able to track this equipment down this quick, it means everything to us. We're ecstatic," said Pokorney Tuesday night while awaiting the delivery of their equipment.

Investigators believe they also have evidence implicating Vile in an attempted ATM theft in Evansville, according to a news release regarding the arrest.

Lt. Doug Daza said Vile was already in custody at the Vanderburgh County Jail during the search. He was booked Saturday on an Evansville Police Department Class D felony theft warrant, Daza said.

According to the release, Vile isn't cooperating with investigators, but Daza said the investigation is ongoing, and more information and arrests are possible.

Vile preliminarily faces two counts of burglary, a Class C felony, and two counts of theft, a Class D felony.

Additional charges are expected to be filed by Evansville Police Department and Warrick County Sheriff's Office in those jurisdictions.